BMJ  2006;333:819 (21 October), doi:10.1136/bmj.39002.350405.80

Editorial

Genetic disease in the Arab world

Will be reduced only by promoting public, professional, religious, and political debate

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Haemoglobin disorders, inherited metabolic diseases, neurogenetic disorders, and birth defects are common among Arab populations.1-3 The relative human and economic costs of these diseases are rising because of the decline in prevalence of infectious diseases and improved but expensive medical care available to affected people. As Al-Gazali report in this week's BMJ, although many programmes to control genetic diseases have been adopted in Arab countries, most are poorly developed.4-6 A shift in public, political, and professional attitudes is needed to establish comprehensive services.

Several factors contribute to the high prevalence of genetic disease among Arabs. Some conditions such as sickle cell anaemia are the result of the advantage that the heterozygous carrier state affords against malaria. In some countries up to two thirds of marriages are between cousins, which increases the incidence of recessive disorders.3 Couples tend to marry young and family size is usually large; children born . . . [Full text of this article]

Riad A Bayoumi, professor of clinical biochemistry

College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
(bayoumi@squ.edu.om)

Anne Yardumian, consultant in haematology

North Middlesex University Hospital, London N18 1QX


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